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Take the 12 worst games of quarterback Carson Palmer‘s career via passer rating and there aren’t many surprises.

PALMER’S 12 WORST PASSER RATING GAMES

Sept. 7, 2008 at Baltimore 35.3 L, 17-10

Nov. 25, 2010 at Jets 41.0 L, 26-10

Sept. 14, 2008 TENNESSSEE 41.3 L, 24-7

Sept. 26, 2004 BALTIMORE 43.4 L, 23-9

Dec. 23, 2007 CLEVELAND 44.8 W, 19-14

Dec. 12, 2010 at Pittsburgh 48.7 L, 23-7

Dec. 2, 2007 at Pittsburgh 51.6 L, 24-10

Oct. 3, 2004 at Pittsburgh 52.1 L, 28-17

Nov. 5, 2006 at Baltimore 52.4 L, 26-20

Sept. 19, 2004 MIAMI 53.3 W, 16-13

Dec. 11, 2005 CLEVELAND 53.5 W, 23-20

Oct. 23, 2005 PITTSBURGH 53.8 L, 27-13

If Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau tortures Chad Ochocinco (he’s never had a 100-yard game against him), he also puts Palmer on the rack. Four of his bottom 12 are against Pittsburgh with Sunday’s Troy Polamalu highlight film (48.7) the worst and sixth overall on the list. Three are against Rex Ryan (two with Baltimore, one last month with the Jets). Half are on the road. Half at home. Nine are in the division housing two of the game’s best defenses. The Bengals lost all but three of them.

Maybe the most disturbing thing is that two of the games from this season, his seventh year as a starter, are on the list and both are worse than only one of his three rookie entrants.

See any common denominators? I was trying to tie into the loss of Palmer’s two Pro Bowl tackles from back in the day, the lack of a running game, weather, but the bad ones come from all over the spectrum. Two games from the T.O. era and none from the Laveranues Coles era. I’d be interested to see what people say about the list.

But one thing is clear: You just can’t do what he did Sunday. Just give them two touchdowns. Not against that defense, that team, in that building. There is no question Palmer is not playing as consistently as the quarterback he was. We all know that. That’s the issue. Tell me why he is so inconsistent. Has the scheme failed him? Has the revolving door of receivers eaten away at his confidence? Has the lack of a truly consistent 4.0 yard per rush running game overexposed him?

(I would say the rest of the league has caught up with the Bengals offensive line with three practice squad starters, but then I watched the Steelers on Sunday win their 10th game of the season with a bunch of guys and a good rookie up front and aren’t the Bengals as talented as that? Although they’ve got to figure out right tackle if they can’t count on Andre Smith.)

With the way the Bengals ran the ball last year, the play-action pass should be Palmer’s best weapon. Instead, despite the fake, LaMarr Woodley is running into pass coverage. He still has to see Woodley, but there is just no respect for the run. And how that can happen after last season is crazy.

Clearly Palmer’s confidence is shot and there’s no question his body is battered from this season. Woodley and Lawrence Timmons nearly broke him in half early on a 15-yard throw to The Ocho, but injury had nothing to do with Sunday’s three picks. And they’ve protected him pretty well in general the last two weeks. He played so well last Sunday against the Super Bowl champs and then this. The inconsistency makes you think it’s not all him.

(And the offense is healthy. It looks like safety Chinedum Ndukwe is going to become the 15th player to go on IR, and only one (Smith) is an offensive starter.)

I’m sure you guys read Peter King Monday morning urging Mike Brown to trade Palmer to the Niners for a second-round pick, so that tells you some things are churning somewhere and it’s not from the Bengals. Peter talks a lot about Palmer’s “misfiring,” which means he has a lot more confidence in the routes of the Bengals receivers than most observers.

The way Brown feels about Palmer and quarterbacks, I don’t see a trade. He might collect them, but he won’t give them away and he’s got no veteran QB in sight to bring along with a highly drafted rookie. Certainly with this offseason of discontent looming in Bengaldom, there is no time to rebuild. They have to win quickly.

Some other thoughts:

» Tell me again why the Bengals didn’t draft DeSean Jackson?

» Speaking of the Eagles, when was the last time an Andy Reid team ran out the clock on the ground like they did Sunday night against the Cowboys?

» When old friend Jon Kitna flipped that big screen pass to Cowboys running back Felix Jones, all I could think about was Bernard Scott.

» The Ocho really goes through the emotions on Twitter. On the trip home Sunday, he offered some profane-laced frustration. Then on Monday morning he had some breaking news on OCNN: “Chad Ocho whatever the (bleep) his name is is the reason for the Bengals down season again, he sends his deepest apology.”

» Here’s a better reason. Time of possession. This year it is 30:31. Last year it was 31:59. That means their defense has been on the field an extra 20 minutes. It is an offensive league. They protect the offensive players and they design the rules for the offense. No matter how good your defense is, you have to limit their exposure. Those 20 minutes are showing up.

I still say we should keep Palmer and try to improve the O-line. But if a first- or second-round pick is offered, we should at least weigh our options. I am disgusted with Palmer’s play these last few years, but I agree with a few fans that it is not all him. 1. O-line play is bad. 2. Offensive play calling is predictable. 3. Owens and Ocho are not the most focused receivers this year — there are too many extra-curricular TV programs on their schedule. We need to upgrade the core of the team first — the O- and D-lines. Then we need to bring in a QB of the future that can learn for a year or two behind Palmer. Teams like the Steelers and Ravens are always in the mix because they have a consistent core group of players up front. It isn’t all about the skill positions with them.

He might as well trade him to the 49ers. That is where the last 3 bengals went to do well (Spikes, Smith, & Brooks). DeSean wasn’t the only one they passed on that year – Ray Rice -#55;Jamal Charles – #73;Jermichael Finley – #91. I think it’s safe to say we’re in the “Luck” sweepstakes. After last year, I was hoping not to hit the mock draft web sites this early. Now, this organization has me wondering if Luck will fall to us or if we should wait and see if Newton will be there in the second. Because you know “they” won’t trade up to get anyone. Oh well, like Browns fans say – “there’s always next year”. Only now, Cleveland has something to look forward to, as far as management.

And….I wonder about people saying they gave CP some “weapons” this year. The new 3 are nothing but safety check downs. We needed a big threat. I like the rookies, don’t get me wrong, but look at the depth at TE in the draft last year. The Patriots got 2 that start and so did Baltimore. Imagine the running game if we could’ve stretched the field with Dez Bryant (selected shortly after Gresham).

There isn’t a team in the NFL that would be willing to take on Palmer’s contract. You wouldn’t buy a Chevette for the price of a Camaro.

We’re going to have the second pick in the draft. As bad as we are, Carolina is worse. Funny how we BARELY beat them this year. Anywho. Luck will come out and be the first pick by them regardless if they took 2 QB’s last year. He’s a can’t miss type of player. He’s off the board. Who does Mike Brown, and ONLY Mike Brown decide to take? Not a QB. Already has one that he couldn’t get rid of if he wanted to. What other position is worth a number 2 pick? A lineman? Not with the rookie salary cap. Need a playmaker in my opinion.

If only Mike Brown would let football people make football decisions…. Hope in one hand and, well, you know what in the other. Right?

bengalpete, with respect, no way would I want them “trade up” for anyone. “Trade out” of the current #2 for more picks would be my preference. I’d also stear clear of Newton.. smells too much like Jaarcus, Vince Young, and Akili to me.

You nailed it when you asked if it was the scheme. I can’t think of a single QB professional life so horribly mismanaged in the history of the NFL than of Palmer. Brat and Marvin have consistently mismanaged Palmers career that many now think he’s a basket case. Personally i think he still has a few great seasons in him, but NOT under Brat nor Marvin. Brat is plain stupid and Marvin is a defensive guy.. Between them they’ve all but made Palmer into another Akili Smith.
Bring Marvin and Brat back another year and it would be my guess Palmer retires before next season begins.. I know I would if I were him.

There are so many things wrong with this franchise right now, it’s sickening. There’s no plans either on game days or long-term, there’s no motivation or accountability and there’s massive ineptitude occurring “upstairs”. Bottom line is that while this franchise continues to make decisions like Antonio Bryant and T.O. over Anquan Boldin or Brandon Marshall, as well as Jerome Simpson over DeSean Jackson, they will be doomed for the next 20 years if nothing drastic changes. 18 of the last 20 years have been “non-winning seasons”. That’s a 90% rate of failure in that span. Throw in that there have been no playoff or Super Bowl wins and that SHOULD push it to a 100% rate of failure. I half-expect that my post won’t make it on this blog because I’m blasting management, but it’s a sin if that fact isn’t voiced.

Don’t kid yourself. Plenty of teams would take Palmer’s contract. Growing up a Patriots fan, my fear is that Palmer returns to his native West Coast and pulls a Jim Plunket and wins two Super Bowl rings as a battered, wise warrior.

I’ll call myself out on the Jackson question. While the Bengals drafted Jerome Simpson ahead of Jackson, so did the Bills take James Hardy and the Steelers take Limas Sweed. You always have company.

And they were worried about his rep for being selfish and his approach to the game, which has surfaced in the last month.

Plus, his slight size concerned them. Talk about an anyhoo.

Interesting question on New England.

A lot of it is the quarterback and the fact he’s been with the same head coach for that entire stretch. But not 61 games worth.

Defense has a lot to do with it. It was the bedrock of those three Super Bowl teams and Palmer didn’t get a comparable one until ’09.

And, actually, the Pats prove Bratkowski’s theory that the best identity is to be multiple. How many times has Belichick re-invented Brady? He’s been a game-manager, a run-and-shoot thrower, and now he’s overseeing an offense that can pound it better in the run game.

A clutch kicker helps, too. If Vinatieri doesn’t hit the bomb through the snow against the Raiders in ’01, would we have heard from Brady again? If Graham hits the field goal in ’06 against the Steelers, does Palmer get a playoff win?

No question Brady has been a difference between New England and Cincinnati. But there are others, too.

The problem with this team OBVIOUSLY lies with the coaching. Primarily the head coach and offensive coordinator. When a team does every little thing wrong at every opportunity, the head coach is failing. How many times do we have to see the absolute worst clock management at the end of halves, guys jumping offsides to lose a game, constant crippling penalties and endless lack of focus leading to debilitating mental blunders before we stop thinking he’s fit to be an NFL coach. Then theres Bob “I don’t realize I need to adjust my gameplan during a game” Bratkowski. Also, if Marvin were doing his job this team would still have that same smash mouth identity it had last season. Just ask yourself this; Would we see this kind of play from a Parcells team? A Bill Cowher team? A rex Ryan team? Heck, pick a coach in the NFL and we would see more discipline. I really hope Marvin does not come back and that we see Mike Zimmer running the show next year, or whenever we’re lucky enough to see this greed driven league come to terms and let the fans have football again. When I look at the Bengals I see an undisciplined team that still gets great play from a defense that is patched together with elmerd and scotch tape. What does that say about Zimmer? He has guys that were signed off the street a few weeks ago doing what they’re supposed to. On the other hand, Marvins still trying to figure out that oh so tricky time out use issue. LOL! I mean, come on! We have a HEAD COACH mind you, a man expected to manage an entire professional football team, one in which the head coach has more resposibility than most, and hes still trying to figure out when to use a time out as opposed to spiking the clock!!!! I can’t be the only one that sees this am I?!

I have to disagree with a couple of your statements Geoff. First, I can’t see 1:28 per game on defense as a huge difference. I think having all the injuries on defense has played a much bigger role.

Also the comment about Brat wanting the teams identity to be multiple is a joke. Last year our Identity was a run first team. To this day I think he was dragged kicking and screaming into that position. This years version is to be predictable and we have it down pat.

I agree that Palmer is a better player than he is now. Starting over at QB is not the answer. Maybe trading down with a team that needs a QB and rebuilding both lines will help, but I think an offensive minded coach (Hue Jackson, Charlie Wiess), and a full offseason installing a new system will put his head on right.
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Geoff, I just recently heard or read (can’t remember which) that the difference between the Bengals and the Pittsburghs, New Englands, Indianapolis’, etc., was that the football IQ of the organization (managemnent, coaching, players)was near the bottom of the league. As a season ticket holder and someone who has paid to see 150+ games I tend to agree. How do we break free of this? I don’t think changing out CP is the answer, but who knows? I don’t think totally dumping our coaching staff is the answer, but again… who knows? Maybe they just need better fans :)

You’re right Paco. I should have said traded anywhere not just up. Getting Newton in the 2nd wouldn’t be that bad though. Also, those three didn’t win the Heisman. Plus we might need his ability to scramble the way the line is playing. If CP could scramble a little bit, I believe some drives would last longer.

The Answer to all of this is Hue Jackson right?
1. Knows Carson’s Head and has coached/recruited him since USC.
2. Knows Chad and has gotten he best out of him in his best years. That fight was an emotional spill over. Don’t be fooled, they are very warm and cordial to eachother.
3. Knows and helped create the new Baltimore offense with Joe Flacco…whom we get to match up against 2x each year.
4. We know Brat isn’t going anywhere so with him being a head coach with an offensive mindset, having worked with Brat for a few years, he can intervene and trump Brat’s vanilla play calling when need be.
5. He coached with Mike Zimmer in Atlanta as def/off coordinators. If Zimmer doesn’t get the HC job or another head coaching job, he’s going to want to get out of here anyway and will probably ask to get out of his contract…and with the $$$ he is getting the GM/owner probably will oblige. His history with Hue could salvage that, because we need Zimmer here bad.
6. We could probably have avoided this entire mess if we would have just hired Hue Jackson as the offensive coordinator before last season when he was coaching Balt.
7. I believe his family still lives here as well.

The problem with the Bengals is that it’s a lot of problems with the Bengals.
Carson Palmer is throwing a lot of Int’s because of heavy pressure . from the constant pressure of 8 in the box defenses.
Cedric Benson’s and Bernard Scott’s YPC’s are down because there are no running lanes because of the stacked 8 in the box defenses.
The way to beat the 8 in the box is a good slot receiver which we had in TJ and hopefully will have in Jordan Shipley.
We lost a lot when Richie Braham retired.
The loss of Chris Henry took away the tall wide out that could win jump balls in the end zone.
The penalties are killing the Bengals. It’s not just one player and if it’s not one player, then it’s the coaching.
There is a lack of pressure on the opposing quarterback without bringing in the safeties. That’s a defensive line problem.
There has been a lot of criticism about the Bengal’s player selection. I don’t think it’s all justified. Kenny Irons, David Pollack, Ki Jana Carter and Chris Henry were good players that were lost because of injuries and not the result of poor drafting. And maybe Carson Palmer has been slowed by his injuries. That’s a lot of injuries and maybe there is a conditioning problem.

All Offensive coaches have to go! Brat’s offense has been the same for years, totally predictable, ala LaBeau’s two picks, not the players, again no adjustments, on Sunday. Alexander’s OL can’t run block and can’t protect. He hasn’t developed anyone! Bring back McNally! Palmer? I simply don’t know, but do know that we will not get a 2nd round pick for him, but remotely if he closes the last 3 games with a 100 plus rating. Then our generous owner; Cincinnati’s most beloved person, My Bucks! Is it possible to trade franchises?

Replace Brat (Hue Jackson is a good idea, as I hear he’s on the outs with OAK coach Tom Cable DESPITE rejuvenating D McFadden and helping them get more wins than since their SB run), and shore up the O-Line and this team might be able to turn it around.

Sometimes the simplest answer is the right one. Fix the OC, fix the O-Line and everything trickles down from there – in a good way.

We should not be surprised this year, since the decline began on 11-22-09!

Since beating Pittsburgh on 11/15/09, the Bengals record is 5 and 17. However, the only significant win was against Baltimore this year. The other wins during that period in 09 were Cleveland (5-11); Detroit (2-14); and KC (4-12). The only other win was against Carolina (1-12) this year.

I’ve been reading through these comments and to me its very simple. Marvin Lewis does not have what it takes to be an NFL coach. Like I said before, we can’t expect a man who hasn’t figured out when to use a time out as opposed to spiking the ball to stop the clock, after how many years of being a head coach, to figure out how to manage a football team. I mean look at the rediculas things that happen week in and week out with this team. Whatever you say about Carson, you cant deny that the Bengals are where they are because of a lack of ability to avoid the huge blunders in every aspect of the game. Every week you just know they will do something boneheaded to lose the game. Look at the Saints game, how many of us were sweating and praying that no one would jump offsides in an obvious bluff situation by the Saints? The Bengals need a no nonsense coach to come in and crack the whip. I think not putting Zimmer in that role would be a mistake.

I think defenses have figured our offense out for 2 years in a row. It seems their ability to mix things up is confined to the no huddle. I think Palmer and Brat take alot of heat some warranted some exaggerated. What continues to kill this team is dumb mistakes. I said it early on and I’m still convinced Marvin has lost a large part of this team on offense. The lackluster effort and mental mistakes are strong examples of a group thats playing out the string. Palmer last week looked confused and demoralized. But I wouldn’t back the bus over this guy just yet. I remember the horrible year Ken Anderson had in 1980 then rebounded 1 year later to win MVP. I say give #9 one more year like they gave ole #14 maybe history will repeat itself.

Im in agreement with alot of these comments. Here is my take, for what its worth!!
1 – Keep Carson. I just dont feel he is washed up. I believe he can be successful with a new off cord, head coach, QB coach and maybe a veteran back up. I think it would be helpful to have someone on the sidelines that he can talk to
2 – FIRE BRAT, LEWIS and ZAMPESE. As noted in comment 1, i just dont think this offense and team can make it with these guys
3 – Here is something to get people thinking about, but probably wont happen because of Mr Brown… move Lewis to GM, hire Jackson as off cord, Zim to head coach. I think Lewis would make a good GM. he just has no skills for coaching (ie time management, managing a game)
4. Keep Ocho, TO and Ced. Use Scott as a receiver out of the backfield. Someone on the radio made a good point yesterday. When CP was looking good, he had Perry. Perry caught 51 balls in 2005. Makes you think a little
5. REVAMP O-LINE. Watch old CP and Chad highlights. look at all the time CP had. He has ZERO confidence in his line. That in itself is causing him to make bad decisions. I believe this needs done via free agency. Start with replacing Cook. He is just not a starting center.
6. time to move Mauluga (sp) to MLB. He looks a little lost out there. Let him do what he does best.
7. Last but not least, sign J-Jo and draft a top notch D-lineman. I believe Peko, Atkins and Dunlop are going to be solid nxt yr. get them the best lineman available in the draft

This is definitely alot of things, but then again, you need to do alot of things to a 2 win club!!!!

In a great scheme, talent is never a factor. Speed fades. Strength and weight advantages change from year to year (Odom). In a free agency poisoned league of mercenaries, it’s a revolving door of personnel. I don’t care if you have Lawrence Taylor or Larry King playing middle linebacker: you have to design a scheme that fits what you have.

Perfect example: Zim’s excellent design is allowing our injury depleted defense to compete and to win battles every Sunday. The right person blitzes at the right time. Adjustments are made when certain plays are beating defenders. He reacts with the best possible option for the personnel on the field. We are lucky to have him.

I’ve been a staunch fan all my life and I will continue to be one. It just feels like being in love with an alcoholic sometimes. No matter how much support and love you throw this team’s way, they will let you down by not doing anything to change bad habits or glaring flaws and short-comings. We need to find a way to DOMINATE the line of scrimmage and DICTATE an EFFECTIVE AND WELL DESIGNED game plan to the opposition. I hope that they find a way to do that soon.

I agree with so much of what has been said. We are all passionate fans and obviously care or we wouldn’t waste our times on a 2-11 team’s blog, right??!!

Here is my 10 bucks worth:
Bratkowski: He has always been predictable. I have been screaming it for a long time. Did anyone else let out the predictable SCREAM last game when Troy P ran up to the left side of our line, shot the gap and made the play in the backfield as we just happened to be running directly at him??? Do other teams study tape much better than we do or are we just much more predictable?? In all fairness, I think Brat has had a lot of personnel changes to deal, but unfortunately he has lost his creativity and has to go.

Draft thoughts: Trade down, get more picks and a later 1st round. We will need more at safety, WR (size and speed) and QB (a real backup at the least), size at the D front, and O-line. I think you need O-line and D line through free agency or else there will be too many questions and paying for too many maybes.

My last table compared 8 years of draft pick position to 10 years of win ranking. This table corrects that to 10 years for both. However the significance of how good a team’s scouting department remains the same: the teams with the most wins are also the teams that drafted in the higher rounds.

Hobson, the latest rumor is that Donte Whitner is going to test the free agent market next year. Considering he was raised in Ohio and attended Ohio state, what are the chances the Bengals make a serious run at signing him? A signing like that could be key in upgrading our aging safeties. His experience would also allow him to come in and start right away, whereas a rookie would take some time to develop.

Palmer is still a very valuable commodity. Many teams would clamour at the chance to return him to his former glory. You see guys with far worse knocks than Palmer get deals every year.

Hobs you said in the preseason that Andre Smith would be the wildcard of the season. We all knew coming in that if he didn’t fill that void then we had big problems. And while the Steelers get protection out of a crappy line. They have 2 things we don’t. They have a scrambling QB. One of the best in fact. They also have nobody on the line playing terrible ball. We have a pocket QB and a RT who getting beat on half the plays run. You just can’t compensate for things like this. The play at LG is not much better. And C has taken a major step backwards. All 3 positions are worrisome. And with Bobbie William’s age you need a back up plan there if he suddenly goes downhill.

That’s major holes in your roster, I don’t care how much talent you stack elsewhere. I could go on the same rant about the Dline.

Time to hit the shower, and get ready to head to the game. Finally I’ll actually see a home game. Have to leave early, it’s about a 2 hour drive for me.

If I were Mike Brown for a day, I would implement the following adjustments as early as possible.

1. Offensive Line improvements – we have had a history of letting the Offensive Line becoming FUBAR before we take actions or we are struck with injuries.
2. WR – Two high priced receivers. Two elder high priced receivers at that. Make a decision OWENS or CHAD, My decision would be OWENS, Chad has too many meltdowns at the most impromptu moments.
3. Coaching Change – This one is delicate, Brown needs to make a decision here quickly and quietly. If he does not figure to have someone in mind then he needs to stay status qua, if he believes he can replace Lewis & Company then he needs to make a swift change.
4. Carson Palmer – As long as he can sling the pig skin keep him, I believe we are better with him than we are with any draft pick or free agent.
5. Running Back – We need an all-purpose back to share the downs with Cedric.
6. Defense – as always, a great lineman or back is always welcomed, but we will always say this no matter how great the defense is …. For the most right now – we have a defense if healthy that should keep us in the game.

In conclusion: OFFENSE has to be the priority OFFENSIVE LINE & BACK has to be the priority. STAFF has to be examined and quick changes made if this is direction we are headed.

I think that Mike Brown needs to quit making the decisions and hire someone with football knowledge, either a former player or head coach to be GM to make all the decisions. The Bengals had better years when someone with football knowledge, i.e. Paul Brown, ran the club than Mike has running it.

It’s just so funny to read everyone’s posts. For the past 20 years this organization has had 2 winning seasons. Have you ever heard the saying “Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while?” Is is the QB? Yes! Is it the Head Coach? Yes! Is it the poor drafting because we have a high school size scouting department? Yes! Is it the Offensive Coach? Yes! Is it because we don’t have an identity? Yes! Is it because we don’t have a GM? Yes! Is it because no FA with any game left doesn’t want to go to Cincinnati? Yes! Does anyone really think a lucky draft, a new QB or Head Coach will change anything that has floundered for 20 years? What a joke. When you are the worst at something for 20 years you have to change everything from the top down. Won’t happen in Cincinnati until the Bengals are no longer a profit making business and they are sold to some one who cares. What a joke!

Hopefully this offseason Brown will try to learn from past mistakes and make some sound decisions. 20 years and I’m still trying to figure him out.

Is he the greedy, evil villian most of the NFL universe envisions? The guy that just wants his family to be rich and doesn’t want to win. Or is he the Charlie Brown like figure that Collinsowrth describes. Who is probably sitting rubbing his head after every game saying “oh boy”. Who depserately wants to win. But has an unbelieveable commitment to believing in his ability to make Lucy hold that ball.

I think the word would be stoic. Would you really expect many peope in today’s society to recognize stoicism though? But he is the same character as in Baltimore. I’m sure he rants and raves. But not often, and like a good coach he doesn’t publically rip his players.

Is more animation from our coach what we need to win?

Remember you could take 8 to 9 losses and turn them into wins by flipping a few plays. I think if we had an average RT we would have posted a lot of those wins. THere are 3 to 4 losses you can blame solely on the mistakes at RT. It is rare that you have enough issues at one position (other than QB) to cost you games.

That said others mistakes helped out to. Self doubt, finger pointing, and such also played a big role in he 10 game streak.

This is a structural problem. The calls coming from the the booth for the offense are many times delayed, you can see the frustration on Carson’s face. I do not think Marvin is the problem. The problem is that people are trying to hold Marvin accountable for something he is not responsible for. It is well known that Marvin could not fire the Offensive coordinator if he tried. What does that tell the players on the offense….you are stuck with it!!!
Let Marvin have the control if you want to hold him accountable for lack of performance. The game mis-management is always on the Offense. Who should be responsible…the guy in charge of the Offense. I agree with the posters that are calling for Hue Jackson. Look what he has done with Al Davis’ mess, another owner that fancies himself a great evaluator of talent.

And you notice our most successful offensive drives this year have been in the no huddle when Carson is calling the plays at the line based on what he sees in front of him, not which page in the book did my finger hit when someone’s eyes were closed. Eeeny meenie miney mo, ok, we’ll run this play. 1st down, run trap right, 2nd and 9, run trap left, 3rd and 8 screen pass in the flat. I know the script in my sleep.

Don’t know if I am happy or sad with our win. Maybe gives us a little boost, but does affect our opportunities to enhance our draft next year. I think I would have rather had a loss, in the long run a loss it would have helped us going where we want to go. I don’t place much significance in winning the last few games as something to build on the next season. When I played, who really cared if you were 2 and 14 or 5 and 11. You’re simply not very good! Period!!

Maybe its just me but a lot of these posts seem off topic. Although I think bengalmanic is on point. The question was in regards to Carson, obviously the rest of the team has tons of issues. As far as I was concerned, this was a make or break year for Carson. He is simply not getting it done anymore. The major problem I notice watching every game is his decision making, poor reads both pre and post snap. He is also staring down wr’s and not reading the defense. I do think its time to move towards a new QB, to at least challenge Carson for his job. Either Carson starts to step it up then or if not the new QB learns behind Carson and eventually takes his role as the starting QB. I also agree with bengalmaniac that I dont think most of this falls on Marvin, I think Bratkowski is the other one besides Carson that needs to receive the majority of blame for the poor offensive performance and miscues. His playcalling is just far far too predictable, they haunt me in my sleep. He might have to go this year.

The BLAME lie’s on the POOR decisions making on the playing field coming from CARSON if he see’s something,he should change the play,HE’S the QB. And the LAZY POOR blocking from the O-LINE. And the Bengals keep paying these FAT out of SHAPE O-lineman,every year it is the same excuse ;give me a chance to get into game shape;. When everyone that really wants to really WIN and WIN BIG come into camp in game shape not the BUMBAL’S.Maybe 25% of roster come’s to camp in shape. But the Bumbal’s have a QB who is not intune with his own PLAY so he blame’s the Team when he is the LEADER on the field,a wide-out who clame’s he love’s the game,but he put more thought into his reality show than the TEAM. A running who is RIGHT we should run the ball 60% of the time,but he can’t stop fumbling the ball.The D-fence was average,might have been a lot better IF they were not on the field so long.They get a STOP the O-fence 3 & out or turn the ball over.